#242 & #243 - First Day of School Field Trip

We started off our school year yesterday morning just like any other school year. :) This year the girls have to wake up by themselves, get dressed, make their bed, eat breakfast and be in the classroom by a certain time. A few times in years past we have taken field trips on the first day of school. But this year the girls had no clue that we were going to go on one! We did everything that morning just like normal and then we made the excuse up that we had to take Nina's birthday present to her before lunch. However, we forgot the GPS at home so after going back home we headed back toward town to "run some errands." They still had no idea!

I'm forever saying things like, "Hey girls, guess what.....we're going to the beach!"

The girls, "REALLY?!"

Me, "No, I'm just kidding!"

Girls, "Oh Mom! That's not funny!"

So after we got on the interstate yesterday I say, "Hey girls, guess what - we're going on a field trip and picnic." (I had hidden the picnic stuff in the back of the van.)

Holly immediately says, "Mom, don't be a wolf!"

(Reference to the boy that cried wolf, of course:)

Me, "Okay, you'll just see!"

In class before we left.

A few weeks ago while visiting Pier 1 in Lexington I tried a sample of this lotion and loved it! But they didn't have any individual bottles. So after getting off the exit in Frankfort we told the girls the reason for going there was to get my lotion! They believed us! Hehe!

(Seriously though, it is the best smelling lotion!)

But then we revealed that we were, in fact, going on a field trip and picnic! They finally believed us. :) The Ky Dept. of Fish and Wildlife has a great center that has a lot of neat stuff to do. It's called the Salato Wildlife Center and it had been a while since we were there.

Our picnicka.

Group shot!

The girls feeding the ducks our leftover bread crumbs.

The front of the center.

Holly having a stare down with a snake inside. Yikes!

Anna weighing the fish she "caught." :)

Photo op in front of the Ky Afield poster.

In behind the center they have different animals on display. We always love seeing the Bald Eagle!

They also have a black bear and before when we went he was always being lazy and laying in the shade. But on this day he was playing around and being mischievous.

He was trying to get this drain cover off!

He even got on top of it and was trying to pull it with his front paws.

Then he gave up and went back to chewing on the sump pump he had.

Next up was the elk. They also have buffalo, but we couldn't see them real well.

Then the dragonfly marsh.

My loves.

The wildcat. This is actually UK's official mascot.

The girls checking out a buck deer.

He says, "Hi!"

The baby deer!

After we left the Salato Center we headed to downtown Frankfort. This view was from the Frankfort Cemetary.

We saw William Goebel's grave and monument. He was Kentucky's 34th Governor and was the only state governor to be assassinated. Ever. In all 50 states.

He and I share a birthday. Only a few years difference.

Next up was one of the reasons for going to Frankfort.

Daniel Boone's grave.

One day our girls will be so glad I made them take so many pictures. :)

He and his wife, Rebecca, had both died in Missouri, but were moved to Kentucky in 1845.

These are the picture details on his marker.

This was on Rebecca's side of the marker.

We thought this headstone was really pretty!

We stopped by the Old State Capitol, but it was closed. :(

Gov. Goebel was shot in front of the building.

Of course we can't go on a homeschool field trip without stopping by a bookstore. :o)

But we didn't buy anything in there. They didn't even acknowledge our presence. Not even a hello, so I don't feel bad for not buying anything.

We drove past the Old Governor's Mansion.

This is Orlando Brown House. He was the son of the first US Senator John Brown from Kentucky. Gov. Brown's house, Lincoln Hall, was closed for renovations and we didn't get to see it.

This is Orlando. Brian and I kept wanting to call him Orlando Bloom. :D

And his sons: Orlando and Mason.

Outside was the largest Ginko tree we had ever seen!

The girls love the seashell shaped leaves.

We drove by the new Capitol building and saw the flower clock.

Then Brian drove me by the house that Frank Lloyd Wright designed. It is the only Frank Lloyd Wright designed house in all of the state of Kentucky. Considering the architecture of all the houses in this area around the Capitol, it was definitely an out of ordinary design.

After leaving Frankfort we stopped by Orange Leaf for a yogurt dinner! (The pics of that are on my cell phone. :)

It was a great first day of school and we are looking very forward to this year!

Proverbs 22:6
"Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it."